Youth Team Report | Dale 3-1 Shrewsbury Town

The Youth Team came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town in their penultimate game of the season.

Dale were behind after four minutes after Lifumpa Mwandwe opened the scoring for Shrewsbury, but Dale were level four minutes through Fabio Tavares.

Tavares put Dale ahead on the hour mark, before Aaron Morley secured all three points with a strike three minutes from time.

The win means Dale now need a point from their final game of the season to secure the EFL Youth Alliance League North West title.

Dale got off to the worst possible start when Mwandwe finished off a fine counter attack for the hosts, slotting home clinically from a ball to the back post.

Florent Hoti should have levelled straight from kick-off, heading wide from Luke Matheson’s superb cross from the right.

Tavares did drag Dale level three minutes later, driving home low to the far post from inside the area.

Hoti held off a couple of challenges before finding Dan Adshead who flicked wide to Tavares, before the striker notched his 21st of the season.

Dale could have taken the lead on a couple of occasions as they began to dominate. Hoti fired over, Neil Kuemo had a deflected effort cannon of the post, before Hoti then sent another effort over but from much closer in.

Goalkeeper Brad Wade was to thank with two great stops before the break. He tipped a Mwandwe effort around the post, before denying Ryan Barnett on the stroke of half-time with another diving save.

Kuemo and Adshead both fired off target after the break, but Dale did get their noses in front on the hour mark through Tavares.

Morley launched a counter attack, finding Tavares with a through ball. He stepped inside and found Matheson, whose return ball to Tavares allowed him to strike home at the near post.

Wade was called into action again, making another fine save to turn around the post.

Kuemo, Morley and Isaac Ward all sent efforts off target as Dale looked to make the game safe, before Tavares had a shot saved by the goalkeeper at the near post.

Morley made sure of the points three minutes from time. Wade’s long kick was kept in play by Tavares, who found Matheson. He played a cross into Florian Yonsian which was laid back to Morley, who fired home first time.

Dale’s final game of the season is at home to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday (8th), 11am kick-off, at the Crown Oil Arena.

Entry to the game is free. Come down and support the lads as they look to secure the title.